I miss you
by Joy Booth
Summary: For the trapped prompt. After some weeks of regina avoiding Robin, she comes to a place with no escape.
1. Falling

**A/N: so I kind of missed the boat on all these prompts, but I was laying bed and kept hearing this old song in my head so here we are… Trapped. **

She should have known better than to step foot into the ancient, creaking deathtrap, but she knew Robin didn't like unnecessary magic, so here they were. Trapped in the library in the elevator to Storybrooke's cave system.

"I presume by the way your face has just lost all its color, that this is not what typical _elevator_ ride is supposed to be like?"

"No," she frowned avoiding eye contact with the persistent archer. She was now, more than ever, wishing he hadn't insisted on following her on her quest to retrieve the magical urn strong enough to contain the snow queen.

"Is there anything we can do to get the vessel moving again?"

"No,"

"Shall I try to call Emma and the others?"

"No,"

"Do you suppose I could get more than a one word response from your majesty?"

"The elevator is stuck probably thanks to faulty wiring, because the technology used to operate it is practically medieval. The control panel for this _vessel_ is at the bottom of the shaft, and we are now probably about fifty feet underground, which means there is no cell service."

"So… what do we do?"

"The elevator may begin to move again on its own. It may decide to plummet to the bottom of the shaft. Emma knows we are down here, so she may come looking for us. Or if all else fails, I use the last of my magic to get us out of here," Regina answered, failing to inform her companion that she only had enough magic to transport one, and if the time came it would him who arrived at the surface alone.

Not knowing what else to say, the thief allowed his exhausted body to slump to the floor, choosing to rest while he could. It had been a long day, preceded by a week of long days. All he wanted to do was close his eyes for a moment and not worry that the whole town would be frozen when he opened them again.

Across the tiny space, she observed him, her body language tight as a coiled spring. She couldn't drop her guard for moment around him anymore. He wasn't hers to watch, or to share her burdens with, or even hers to love. Pixie dust had lied.

"I miss you," he said out of the blue. They had been trapped close to a half hour, and aside from their original assessment of the situation, no words had passed between them, so his confession rather startled the queen, who had been trying to ignore his presence.

"I miss you," he repeated with more feeling, when it was clear she would give no response to his initial comment.

"Now is not the time," she began to say, only to be cut off by Robin returning to his feet.

"If not now, when? You have avoided me since Marian's return, but I must be heard. I miss you, Regina. I miss my friend."

Regina sniffed indignantly at the term friend. Before the return of his dead wife, she had revealed more of herself to Robin than she had anyone else in her life. _Friend, ha, as if such a flimsy, useless term could define their time together. _

"What would you like me to say, Robin? That I was crushed by the return of your true love? That I feel _robbed_ of the opportunity I was offered in you? That now more than ever it is clear that I am everyone's second thought? Second choice?" she paused a moment, but he just starred at her with unshed tears in his eyes. Finally she continued. "I won't say it, Robin. I learned long ago that giving into childish dreams can only bring heartbreak. It is clear to me now that anything we might have shared was more pity on your part than affection, and I take pity from no one."

Robin was immediately baffled by her proclamation, but his confusion quickly turned to rage as her words sunk in. Stepping into her personal space, he pinned her to the wall with body and fierce gaze.

"If you think for one moment that my sentiments are derived from pity, Milady, you are mistaken. I have lov…"

"Don't you dare," Regina growled, pushing back now, with both her hands on his chest. "Don't even think about telling me that you feel that way for me when you are going home to your wife when we get out of here."

"I can't help that she is back. I didn't bring her here. What am I to do? I took a vow before god Regina, I can't just walk away from her now because you have had the courage to find me," he tried to reason with her.

She starred at him for a long moment, but she could no longer deny the love shining back at her in his brilliant sapphire eyes.

"She was right," she whispered, burying her face in his jacket, her once pressing hands, now pulling him in.

"Who? Who was right, my dear?" he questioned while trying to comfort her anyway he could.

"Tinkerbelle," she wept. "Tinkerbelle said that by not going to you when I first saw you, I was ruining more than just my own happiness, and now here we are. I miss you. You miss me. Your wife needs you. Your son needs _his _mother. We are all so… hopeless."

"Now, really my darling, it is not as bad as all that. There is always hope," he promised, his hand leading her face to meet his.

"For you perhaps, but for me there is nothing. If I am to be happy, I must destroy the happiness of others, and I could not do that to you or Roland."

"You have not heard me, Milady. The choice is made. I miss you. I yearn for **you**. What is a home without love? What is a family that can no longer connect? We are broken without you. Please, say that you will heal me again."

Regina paused, disbelief etched in every inch of her face, but then she felt the elevator begin to plummet.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, and with a flick of her wrist he appeared in a cloud of white smoke at the doors to the elevator. It wasn't until he registered the sicken sound of the elevator hitting bottom that he realized he stood there alone.


	2. If the fall doesn't kill you

"Regina?" he called turning around several times in a way that would have been comical if the circumstances were different.

"Regina?!" he called again a bit more frantically.

"Where is she?" Emma asked running into the library.

"We were trapped in the elevator, and then it started to fall, and then I was here, but I can't find her," Robin explained, still looking around as if he expected her to pop out from behind a shelf, but one look at Emma's face, and his previously rapidly beating heart stopped.

"She has been feeling really tired lately," Emma started to say, tears welling in her eyes.

"No!" Robin interrupted.

"Ever since Elsa hit her with her _ice powers,_ her magic has been a little drained…"

"No,"

"I'm so sorry, Robin," Emma whispered, taking a step to try to comfort the distraught thief, but he stepped away, shaking his violently.

"No! NO! **NO! **Regina!" he screamed, trying to wrench open the old brass doors. "Regina, I am not amused in the least. Show yourself this instant." When the door refused to budge and the queen refused to appear, he turned to Emma. "You have to get us down there right now. She lives, I know she does. I would know… I would feel it if… You have to get us down there."

"I'm sorry, Robin. I don't know how. We could call Gold, but I think you need to prepare yourself for an unfavorable outcome here. I mean the shaft goes like a hundred feet below the surface."

"Come now, Emma. There isn't time to go find the Dark One. Please, you must try."

Emma shifted uncomfortably. She had been taking magic lessons with Regina for the last few weeks, moving things here and there, but always small unimportant things, and only so far as across the room.

"I… I don't know what might happen to you if it doesn't work," she mumbled uncertainly.

"I don't care. If there is even a chance that I might save her, I must try."

Emma nodded in understanding. She felt much the same when she pulled Killian's lifeless body from the water after his run in with Gold. She stared hard at Robin trying to focus on him while in her mind she thought of the cave where she had battle Maleficent. In a blink, Robin was gone. Not knowing what else to do, Emma called for Gold and the ambulance, before working on opening the elevator doors.

Robin felt the unsettling swirl of magic envelope him once again. When the smoke cleared, he was surrounded by darkness, and perched on uneven ground. Pulling out his flashlight, he immediately notice the dust and smoke thick in the air, and raised his scarf over his nose and mouth.

"Regina?" He called into the darkness, chokingly. "Regina, please if you can hear me my love, call out!"

Silence was his only answer, but he could not be daunted. Shining his light on his surroundings, he maneuvered his way through the piles of fallen rock and other rumble toward the only light coming from the shaft.

"Robin?" Emma called.

"I am fine, highness, but I have yet to find Regina."

"Okay, I called for help. Someone should be here soon Robin."

No further conversation was necessary, especially with the terrible air quality, so Robin returned to his search. He plucked through broken boards and large boulders until his heart snuck, when on one particularly splintered board, there was a rather large amount of blood.

"Regina?" he called for what felt like the thousandth time. "Please, please, I am coming. Just hold on."

He dug with renewed force, knowing his quarry was not far. Under a bit of the iron work lay the prone form of his soul mate. There was a deep gauge in her leg where the splintered wood had been pulled out, and a huge bruise was forming on her head, but other than that she lived.

"She lives!" he hollered up the shaft. "Emma, you must get someone quickly. She lives!"

Robin then turned his attention back to his broken Queen. The pool of blood beneath her was terrifying, but he could not dwell on it. He quickly removed his scarf and fashioned it into a tourniquet.

"Milady? Can you hear me, my darling?" he whispered as he stroked her cheek, trying to cox her back to the land of the living.

Her eyes fluttered, followed by a gasping cough.

"That's it darling. Come back to me," he continued. Above him, he heard the sound of more voices. "Help is on the way, dear, please just hold on."

She coughed again, but this time a bit of blood trickled from her lips. Robin wanted to weep. He wanted to scoop her in his arms and never let her go, but there was nothing more he could do for her. His every move brought her pain. It was the story of his life. He was destined to have all his loved ones stolen from him.

He was staring at her beautiful bruised face, when he heard a rumble that could only mean one thing. There was going to be another collapse. Not knowing what else to do, Robin moved so that his body was shielding Regina.

Closing his eyes, he prayed to anyone that would listen to save them. The air blackened and he squeezed his eyes closed, taking comfort in the fact that he would die trying to save Regina. The rumble grew to the sound of thunder. A voice could be heard through the darkness, but their words could not be made out. Robin braced himself for the inevitable impact, but amazingly he felt nothing except an all-encompassing warmth.

Robin opened his eyes, but all he could see was Regina. Everything around them was dark, but for an otherworldly glow which surrounded them. Moments passed like an eternity. Robin taking in every little detail in her precious face. The scar above her lip. The freckle near her nose. She was remarkable. He was so wrapped up in his study that he missed their rescue party calling. It was Emma tugging on his arm that finally got his attention.

"Robin, you need to move so that Whale and Gold can get a look at her," Emma whispered, continuing to try to pull him away. Robin looked beyond the savior to the worried faces of the dark one and the doctor.

"I… Her leg, she has a deep cut on her leg," he offered, still confused by the turn of events. As Gold and Whale began to work their own brands of magic, Robin tried to process what had happened.

"Are you going to be okay, Robin? I still need to find that Urn, and with all this rubble my job just got a lot harder," Emma sighed looking around at the dust and wreckage settling throughout the cave.

"Regina said the urn would be near the control panel for the elevator."

"Thanks," Emma smiled halfheartedly before trudging off.

"Easy there, Dearie," Gold cackled, helping Regina to her feet, though she leaned heavily on Dr. Whale.

"I'm fine," she whispered stubbornly. "It seems that cushioning charm did the trick."

"A fine bit of magic, but it you could stop the debris, why didn't you do it the first time?" Gold asked.

"I didn't stop anything, I just made it a bit softer landing," she replied in confusion.

Gold cackled again this time eyeing Robin with suspicious glee.

"I should have known, Thief. The wand, her, there was no way you didn't have a bit of magic in you."

"You must be mistaken, Imp. I am anything but magical," Robin replied.

"How else do you explain it, Thief? No less than several hundred pounds of debris just fell down that shaft, and somehow you and the unconscious queen were completely shielded."

At this, Regina looked at him in wonder.

"Is that true?" she whispered.

"I was just trying to protect you," Robin answered.

"I found it," Emma called, wandering back and breaking the spell that had fallen over them.

"Bravo, Savior," Gold rolled his eyes, before taking Regina's hand and blinking them all to the main entrance of the hospital. "This, I'm afraid, is where I must leave you. Regina, I have healed that pesky head wound, but the good doctor with have to deal with the leg." Without another with the Imp disappeared.

"I should get this to my mom and dad," Emma mumbled, shaking the urn. "Are you staying long, Regina? Should I send Henry to come sit with you?"

"I'm fine," Regina started to say, but Whale interrupted.

"Send the boy on over, Em. She is going to be here a few hours at least."

"This ridiculous," Regina growled, pushing off Whales shoulder only to nearly collapse when she tried to put weight on her leg.

"It's alright, Milady. I've got you," Robin shook his head at her stubbornness.

"You want to borrow some handcuffs?" Emma offered. "This one is a notoriously bad patient."

"We will be fine thank you, Highness. I know several ways to keep the Queen occupied," Robin replied, grinning at the patient in question wickedly.

"We have got a room ready if you want to follow me?" Whale's nurse said coming up with a wheel chair. Regina looked at it with derision, but was in too much pain to deny it any longer. The nurse helped her into the chair and then wheeled her to a private room, leaving Robin in the waiting room.

**a/n: back by popular demand, Hope everyone likes this chapter, I dont know if there will be more or not, let me know if you want more :) happy outlaw queen week!**


	3. Broken

Hours passed. Henry arrived and was taken directly back to his mother's room. Visitors came and went, but still Robin was forced to wait. He had called Marian to let her know there had been an accident, but not given her specifics. It was almost sundown when Henry finally joined him in a terrible plastic hospital chair.

"Are you sure this is where you belong?" Henry asked seriously.

Robin gazed at him, trying to figure out the answer the boy was looking for.

"Honestly, Henry, I don't know, but there is nowhere else I can be right now. I must know that she is safe and well."

The boy nodded sagely.

"Do _you_ think I should be here?"

Henry thought for moment. "Robin, I have never seen my mom as happy as she was when you two were together, but if you are just going to break her heart again, you should just leave now."

Robin looked at the boy who spoke with a wisdom far beyond his years. On one hand he felt like he owed it to Marian to be the best husband he could to her. On the other hand, his heart beat for another. He had offered it for her use, and now he could not just take it back. She had changed it irrevocably and he didn't want to go back to the man he had been before he met her.

Seeing the decision in his eyes, Henry gave him her room number before heading home.

When he finally found the room in question, he fell back on old habits, sneaking quietly to the shadow of the doorway. The vision that greeted him was enchanting. There laying peacefully in the starched white bed, lay the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

"I can hear you breathe," the queen mumbled, without opening her eyes.

"Apologies, Milady," Robin smiled, moving to another plastic chair that sat close to her bed. When she gave no reply, he continued. "I am pleased you seem to be making such a quick recovery, your Majesty, but don't think I have forgotten that you seem to have decided that my life is more important that yours. I am still mad at you for sending me off, and not telling me about the problems with your magic."

"A simple thank you would suffice," she began to chuckle before it was broken off by a violent cough. Immediately Robin was by her side, propping her up and rubbing her back.

"This is nothing to joke about, Regina. You could have died today."

"There is always tomorrow," she sighed, slumping back into her bed. He thought she was faking sleep to avoid him, but a moment later the nurse came in shooing him away. Visiting hours were over. Apparently Regina had been heavy sedated in order to keep her still, because Dr. Whale thought it would be necessary to keep her for overnight observation.

As Robin walked home, her words played over and over in his head. _There is always tomorrow. _While Regina had been avoiding his company for the last few weeks, his men had been watching her and reporting back to their leader.

On more than one occasion, Regina had needlessly but herself in harm's way. She had been taken to the hospital two other time this week, before today's incident. Monday she had pushed Grumpy out of the ice queen's path, earning her a severe case of hypothermia, and apparently causing problems with her magic. Wednesday she tried to reason with Elsa by going to the ice queen's castle alone, without telling anyone. One of his men rescued her from Elsa's giant snowman just in time, but she had still needed a few stitched where the beast's icy grip had sliced her arm open. At the time he had wondered why she hadn't turned the abomination into a puddle, but now he understood that she had been powerless.

All of this and on Thursday, Little John arrived home late, explaining that he had seen Regina at the Rabbit Hole, drunk as a skunk and being carried out by Charming and Hook. It was all very unsettling, which is why he had sought her out this morning. He was hoping that he would get a chance to speak to her about her behavior, perhaps ask her to be more careful, but when he heard her talking about going to the tunnels on her own, he knew the discussion would have to wait.

Marian was waiting for him when he got home. She smiled and pulled him into her warm embrace, but he felt hollow. He made the excuse of a long day, and went straight to bed, after poking his head in on Roland quickly.

By the time he got to the hospital the next day, she was gone. She had demanded to be released even though, according to one particularly chatty nurse, Dr. Whale had told her she should stay until at least noon.

_Typical, _he mentally grumbled as he made his way across town to her mansion. _She is so determined to avoid needing help that she disregards anyone who is actually trying to look out for her. _

A knock at her door produced no results, but the thief refused to be put off again. He circled the house looking for the easiest point of entry. Her balcony seemed his best option. He scaled the trellis and flipped over the rail with cat-like grace. Through the French doors, he spied her still form bundled in her duvet.

He almost turned away, not wanting to disturb her slumber, but he didn't know when another opportunity would present itself. He couldn't risk her getting herself into another dangerous situation before he said what he had come to say. The door was surprisingly unlocked, so he sat on the comfy chair in the corner and waiting for his queen to wake.

The next thing Robin was aware of was the sound of water running. He must have fallen asleep waiting for her, but when his eyes searched the room, she was nowhere to be found. A moment later, the en suite door opened revealing the perfectly pressed and polished Queen, or mayor as she was known here.

"I was wondering if you would still be here," she noted with no particular interest. "I have a meeting with the town council, be a dear and don't take anything on your way out."

Without another word she breezed out of the room. She was already at the bottom of the stairs when Robin came racing after her.

"I would like to have a word with you, Milady," he called, jogging down the stairs.

"And now you have had ten," she smirked, slipping on her thick outer coat.

"Regina, I am serious."

"Oh, well if you are serious, thief, then by all means, please do expound on whatever subject is on your mind. It is not as if a twisted, out of control, extremely magical woman is terrorizing the town with snowmen or anything."

Robin felt anger crackling beneath the surface of his skin, but he would not let her bate him. "I know what you are about Regina. This behavior, this recklessness, you forget I have seen you like this before, during the missing year."

"You know nothing, Thief. I am merely doing my duty to my people. Who else can protect them as I have?"

"Because getting so drunk you have to be carried home, is helpful to your people now?"

At his remark she flinched, blinking back tears before swallowing thickly. "You don't get to judge how I choose to fix what you have broken," she whispered with menacing edge.

For the first time since his wife's return, Robin was faced with exactly what he had done to his soul-mate. He could see the brokenness in her every feature. Her eyes were dull. Her lips lacked their usual deep crimson stain. Even her hair was simply flat on her head, missing its usual flirty flair.

He opened his mouth to try to explain, but no words came. As he watched her turn and make her way out into the frigid air, it was all he could do to whisper. "Please, be careful, my love."

The door slamming shut was her only reply.


	4. Abduction

Three days later, Regina was at sitting at her desk reviewing food storage reports when Robin rushed in.

"I believe knocking is a very old tradi…" she stopped speaking mid-sentence when she looked up at his panic stricken face. "What is it?"

"She had Roland. She has taken him," he answered, his eyes looking everywhere at once, as if the boy might suddenly reappear.

Regina was at the door before he saw her moving, but he followed her as he always had.

"How did this happen?" she asked as they made their way to her car.

"He was at the park with Little John and Tuck. They said she pulled up on an ice sleigh and struck them with her powers, when they were found, all that was left was Roland's boot tracks heading directly for the sleigh tracks and then it all disappeared into the woods."

"It is going to be fine, Robin," she promised taking her eyes off the road for a moment to glance at him. "If she wanted him frozen, she wouldn't have taken him with her. That had to mean something. He must mean something to her."

"But what? He is just a boy," Robin cried, tears welling in his eyes.

"I don't know," she sighed, tears gather in her eyes as well. "But I am going to find out."

Emma was at the scene of the abduction when they arrived. She gave them a recap of all the facts, but there was still no explanation for the change in the Ice queen's attack. She had never taken anyone before.

Regina closed her eyes, and tried to sense the magic around her. It all had a twisted blue signature. When she focused her mind, the magic seemed to hum. As her magic had once cried for the blood of Snow White, this magic whispered a search for innocence.

"She was looking for innocence," she whispered to herself in shock.

"What are you talking about?" Emma and Robin asked at the same time.

"Her magic calls to the innocent. She took Roland because he is innocent, everyone one else was too tainted," Regina tried to explain.

"But what does it mean? Will she hurt him?" Robin asked frantically.

"No, I don't think so, I think she thinks she is saving him," Regina answered stepping closer to the scene as a flash of light caught her eye. There in the snow lay a simple silver bell.

"What is it? What have you found?" Robin asked, taking a step closer as well.

"Don't touch it," Emma reminded in her sheriff tone. "Whatever it is, it is evidence."

Ignoring everything but the magical pull she felt, she leaned down and grabbed the bell. The moment she picked it up, she disappeared.

* * *

With a flash of magic, Regina found herself in the heart of the ice castle.

"Gina! I am so glad you came!" Roland called tackling her legs, until she scooped him up into her arms.

"Of course I came, but I thought we talked about not wandering off with strangers?" she reminded the boy, looking around for woman who had taken him.

"But Elsa isn't a stranger, Gina. She is my friend. She made me cocoa like you make and she even let me have something called … turkey de lights."

"Yes we are good friends, are we not Roland?" Elsa called, appearing out of nowhere, and holding her hand out to the boy.

Regina tightened her grip and shifted so her body was mostly blocking Roland. "It is nice to have friends Roland, but we must go home now. Your Papa is very worried about you."

"But you haven't played the game yet, Gina. I can't go until you win the game," he explained with a whine, as if she had forgotten.

"Of course, how silly of me," Regina smiled tightly, eyeing Elsa. "And what _exactly _is the game?"

"You gotta show Elsa that you got a pure of heart. She can only let me go with the challenger with the pure heart," he explained. "I told her it was you because my papa said that you have the most beautiful heart he has ever seen."

"You choose me as your protector?" Regina asked, suddenly understanding the pull of the little silver bell.

"Of course Gina, you promised you would always protect me," he smiled at her burrowing into her neck.

She remembered the night she had made that promise. It was a few days after she saved him from the flying monkey. He had woken with nightmares in the middle of the night, and she had shown him her magic, and promised that she would _always_ be there to protect him. Her heart jumped into her throat, as she thought about the number of times she had almost broken that promise this week alone.

"Don't cry, Gina. I know you can do it," the boy said as he wiped a stray tear from her cheek.

Regina had her doubts, if it was a pure heart she would need, then she would surely fail. There were few hearts she had ever seen with as much darkness as hers. She only hoped that when she failed, he would be allowed to choose another rescuer. It was the first time in her life that she wished she had been second choice.

"So, what is this _game_ then?" Regina asked, looking over at the ice queen and wishing to get the humiliation over with.

"Think of it as an obstacle course, if you will," Elsa explained, a wave of her hand removing Roland from Regina's tight grasp and placing him on an ice throne at in the highest tower. "The boy is your prize, if you get to him alive."

Around her the castle began to morph into the stuff of nightmares. Ice knights came at her from all directions, behind them a fierce ice lion prowled, ready to pounce and is the distance the where the stairs had been was a fifty foot flat sheet of unforgiving ice. Regina was really starting to wish she had her magic.


	5. Fight

"Did you just see, what I just saw?" Emma asked, staring at Regina's footprints in the snow.

"If by that you mean did I just see Regina pick something out of the snow and then disappear, then yes. I saw what you saw," Robin replied.

"I wonder where she went. I thought after what happened in the elevator that she couldn't transport herself anymore."

"I do not think Regina choose to disappear. In the past when she transported herself, there was always smoke. I think whatever she picked up had a spell on it that caused her to disappear."

"Like a portkey?" Emma asked, thinking that Robin might be onto something.

"I have no idea what a _portkey _is, but whatever Regina picked up, I would say it took her to the ice queen's palace."

"I would tend to agree with you," Emma nodded grimly, still searching the area for clues.

"Would you give me a ride to the edge of the forest?"

"Robin," Emma paused, whatever she was going to say melted away with the look of determination on the legendary thief's face. "Get in the car."

The ice knights had been easily smashed with a bit of dodging and a stolen sword, but the lion now circling her and snapping its jaws was another story. She knew one wrong move and the game was over. Roland was lost. She was trying to figure out a plan of attack, when a flittering memory caught her attention. Sitting on the couch watching The Lion King with Henry as a child. The final confrontation between Scar and Simba. What she needed was her own lion, and when that thought struck her, she immediately thought of the man with the lion tattoo.

Her eyes closed for a moment as she pictured him in her mind. Her heart ached, but seeing his face caused a warm glow to grow as well. When she opened her eyes Robin stood before her, or at least a facsimile created entirely by flames. The flaming Robin attacked the lion, striking a fiery arrow directly into its frozen heart.

"A clever bit of magic, but the next test will not be so easy," Elsa rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed by the display.

"What would you know about magic, Ice for brains? Rumple himself said that you are completely out of control," Regina sniffed indignantly.

"I would not talk about him if I were you," Elsa warned taking slow measured steps toward the dark-haired woman.

"Oh," Regina pouted. "Did the big bad Dark One hurt your feelings when he put you away for life?"

"That monster murdered my sister," the ice Queen hissed with rage, causing jagged ice piece to jut out from the wall. Regina stepped closer to the wall, her eyes never leaving her adversary's face.

"I heard it was you?" Regina smiled innocently. "I heard that your poor sister was just trying to save you, but you couldn't control your _fear_ so your sweet, _innocent_ sister died protected your people from** you**."

Elsa shook with rage as black spots blocked her vision for a moment, and that was all the opportunity Regina needed to begin her assent of the rapidly forming ice spikes. She was almost to the top before Elsa regained herself, popping with a snap to the top of the wall, as Regina swung her leg over the ledge.

"Not very pure of heart to provoke someone who has suffered greatly," Elsa murmured, though she could grudgingly appreciate the tactics of her challenger, having her suffering thrown in her face was extremely painful.

"Yes well, stealing little boys from their families doesn't exactly make you a candidate for sainthood either," Regina snapped unapologetically. "Now where is the boy?"

"Not so fast, your highness. There is one more test."

"Let me guess, ice dragon? Chimera, perhaps? I know, you are going to let marshmallow try to eat me, aren't you?" Regina's sarcasm was coming out thick with stress.

"As much as my pet does love a good afternoon snack, I was thinking we could just play a friendly game of chess," the ice queen offered and with a wave of her hand a small table, two chairs, and a chess set appeared. "How's that for _control_, dearie?"

Regina's skin crawled at the endearment, but she took her seat. The game played out until few pieces were left. Regina was left with but her king, queen and one knight, while Elsa had but her queen and king.

"Would you sacrifice your queen to win?" Elsa asked.

"Why would I do that, I almost have you beat?" Regina returned confidently.

"If it was the only way to win, the only way to save her precious knight and king, the queen would not give herself up?" Elsa questioned meaning clear in her eyes.

"Is that the only choice?"

"If you swear to become my prisoner, help me find a way back to Arendelle, then I will release the boy," Elsa acknowledged.

"You have to put him right in his father's arms. I don't want him freezing to death wondering the forest."

"Of course, of course, in his father's arms," Elsa nodded. "So we have a deal?"

"I should tell you that my magic is not working properly lately, so all I have is knowledge to help you on your journey," Regina answered, not wanting Elsa to hurt Robin and Roland if she couldn't find a way to get the other woman home.

"I'm sure between the two of us, we will come up with something."

"Can I see him before you send him back?"

"I suppose, but only for a moment," Elsa said and with a snap of her fingers the boy appeared in the dark queen's arms.

"Gina! Did you win?" the boy asked excitedly.

"I sure did, love. I couldn't let my little knight down now, could I?" she teased tickling him under the chin.

"YAY! Can we go for ice cream to celebrate?"

"You will have to ask your papa, sweetheart. Now, before Elsa sends you home I have an important task for you. Do you think you can be my special messenger?"

"Yes," the boy nodded, grinning with pride.

"I need you to tell Henry that I love him, and tell Sheriff Swan that I am helping Elsa get home, so she should not bother your very nice friend, ok?" Regina watched him as he repeated the message back to make sure he got it all. "Perfect, Roland, that is just perfect," Regina smiled through the tears in her eyes.

"Time to go Roland," Elsa too smiled sadly at the boy. She didn't want to hurt the queen, but she needed to get home, and this seemed like the only way. With one last snap, Roland disappeared, plopping with a thud into his father's terrified arms.

**A/N: So sorry the update took so long, I just couldnt figure out how she was going to get up that wall. In the end, I figured out that Regina was still Regina as would get things done while still pissing people off so there you go. Anyway, hope you like the chapter, and leave me some love by clicking the button!**


	6. Truth comes out

Robin was walking through the forest on his way to the imposing Ice castle, when Roland landed in his arms.

"Papa!"

"Roland, what happened? Where is Regina?" Robin asked, hugging his son tightly as if to prove to himself that he was really there.

"She is with Elsa."

"But is she ok? Did Elsa hurt her?" Emma asked as she came toward the reunited family from a little farther toward the road.

"Elsa wouldn't hurt anyone, silly. She and Gina were just playing a game," Roland replied.

"Why didn't Regina come back with you then?" Robin asked, nervous energy pooling in his stomach again.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Gina can't come right now, but she made me her special messenger," Roland beamed with pride.

"What was the message?" Emma asked.

"She said…" he paused for moment trying to remember. "To give Henry her kisses, and to tell the sheriff that she was helping Elsa, so not to bother them."

The adults looked over the child's head, a grim frown on each face. Somewhere in the woods the ice beast, Marshmallow, roared, drawing their attention back to the fact that they were standing in the middle of the frozen forest, complete unguarded.

"We should get Roland back to town," Emma sighed. She knew that the situation was not ideal, but they needed a better plan, if they were going to safely rescue Regina. Robin hated the idea of leaving his… Regina with Elsa, but Emma was right. They needed to get Roland back to the relative safety of town.

The drive back was filled with Roland chattering about his new friend, while Emma wondered what she would tell Henry and Robin wondered what he should tell Marian. Emma dropped them off at Granny's, before heading back to her apartment to give Henry the news.

When they entered to Bed and Breakfast, they found most of Marian, along with the merry men, huddled in the little den waiting for news. They were greeted with warm hugs all round. Before too long, Roland was once again telling the story of his adventure with the ice queen. This time, Robin paid a bit more attention.

Roland told of how the queen had asked him to come and have tea with her, but that he had told her that he liked hot chocolate better. The queen had obliged the boy with all manner of sweets. Then the story got interesting. Roland explained that after his treats, he had told the queen he need to go home, but that she had convinced him to play a quick game before he left. He said that she had asked him to pick someone to come and play the game for him because it was a grown up game.

"She said I had to pick a champion who was pure of heart," he said.

"And that is why you picked your father?" Marian asked, beaming at Robin. Robin, however, looked confused.

"No silly, that is why I picked my Gina," the boy grinned. Robin's stomach sank.

"You choose Regina to come and help you play with Elsa?" Robin asked, hoping that he was just misunderstanding.

"Roland, why in the world would you choose the Evil queen to save you?" Marian asked in abject horror.

"I didn't choose the evil queen, Mama. I picked Gina. Papa said that she had the most beautiful heart he had ever seen," Roland answered.

"What was the game?" Robin asked, ignoring his wife's extremely confused, questioning looks.

"It was weird. Elsa let me watch on a TV, but Gina had to battle a bunch of knights, and then she made a person out of fire to fight off a lion, and then she had to climb up this super spiky ice wall and then at the top they paid the game Tuck and Arthur play with the little horses and stuff. I guess she won, because she said the Elsa had to put me right in your arms, and if she did then Gina would stay with her to help her find a way home," Roland answered, and then remembered a bit more. "Gina said to ask you to take me out for ice cream."

"Maybe we can go tomorrow, but for now I think it is time you have some of granny's famous spaghetti and then go to sleep," Robin said, while the men looked between each other. No one knew quite how to react to Roland's tale, but John dutifully led the boy off to get some food and the other men took that as their cue to leave. The silence that surrounded the couple was stifling. Robin and Marian focusing on very different parts of their son's tale.

"Why her?" Marian asked angrily. "I knew you were acting strange. You said that you had moved on, but why did it have to be her? You know what she has done, Robin. You know what horrors she is capable of."

"Apparently she is capable of sacrificing herself for our son," Robin mumbled. He had started to explain the situation with Regina a few days ago when he returned home from the mayor's house and moved into his own room at Granny's, but he had failed to provide Marian with his new love's name.

"It was a trick, Robin. How can you not see that? She bewitched you. She probably hired the ice queen to kidnap Roland," Marian growled with barely contained fury. Her son **had not **been _rescued_ by the evil queen. She could not for the life of her understand how everyone acted so calm with not one but two monsters in their midst. It was like everyone had forgotten the Enchanted Forest. Here in this new land, the dark one walked down the street with a princess on his arm and the Evil Queen ate lunch with Snow White.

Robin sighed, he had heard it all before. He had argued with John and Tuck until he was blue in the face. No one believed that he could truly love Regina, but what broke his heart the most was that he now knew she herself didn't believe it either.

"I don't have time to argue with you, Marian. I have to go to Snow and David's so we can figure out a plan to rescue Regina."

"But she doesn't need rescuing. Roland said it himself. He said she chose to stay," Marian argued. She still harbored hope that this was all a bad dream and that tomorrow she would wake in his arms.

"I listened to what he said, and what it sounds like to me, is that she traded her life for his."

"That's ridiculous. Why would she do that?"

"Because she loves him," Robin answered as he turned to leave. "Please make sure Roland gets to bed soon, he has had a long day."

Marian glared at his retreating back and grumbled under her breath. "I know how to be his mother!"


End file.
